# Uruguay wins the 1983 Copa America (August to November 1983)

URL: https://allhistories.com/uruguay/timeline/1983-uruguay-wins-the-1983-copa-america
Location: Montevideo, Uruguay
Themes: main-event

Uruguay won the 1983 Copa America by beating Brazil in the final, claiming its 12th title. The win ended Uruguay's 16 year drought without an official championship, dating back to the 1967 South American Championship. The tournament ran from 10 August to 4 November 1983. The victory earned the Celestes a place in the 1985 Artemio Franchi Trophy against France. The tournament was played in home and away legs, a format that suited Uruguay. The final score and exact date are not stated in the fetched page. Uruguay's squad included players who would help the country win the 1987 and 1995 Copa America, and the team belonged to a generation raised during the dictatorship. The title came in the same month as mass opposition rallies against the regime, and it gave Uruguayans a rare moment of shared joy. Uruguay has won 15 Copa America titles in total, the record, and this one is remembered as a bridge between the era of Rocha and Varela and that of the later champions.

## Why it matters
A championship over Brazil restored sporting pride as the dictatorship neared its end.

Ruler at the Time: [Gregorio Alvarez](https://allhistories.com/uruguay/rulers/gregorio-alvarez)

## Sources
- [1983 Copa América](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_Copa_Am%C3%A9rica)
- [Uruguay national football team](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uruguay_national_football_team)
- [1967 South American Championship](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1967_South_American_Championship)